The Career Fair
by cue-the-sun
Summary: Edward Cullen gets more than he thinks he will out of the Forks High School Career Fair. AH/Oneshot


**AN: **Hi guys! Well, I think I may have abandoned my other story, The Lost Journal, but I think I am better at one shots anyway. I have actually been working on this story since June or July, and it's taken me until January to finish it. But, I do hope you like it! (I got the idea at my career fair last year, if you want to know the truth, and I bounced it around in my head for a couple of months, then started writing it, until I realized I hated it, and threw it out, started over, and well, here it is!) Review if you can, I worked hard on this. It is exactly 40 pages in Microsoft Word.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing; All characters belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer! (the plot is original though )

**Summary:** Edward gets more than he thinks he will out of the Forks High School Career Fair. ONESHOT! All-Human

**Rated:** Mature

**The Career Fair**

E.P.O.V.

Why was I here again?

This entire ordeal was completely pointless. I already knew what I was going to do after college.

…Would it be really bad to skip out and smoke in the parking lot for the rest of this ridiculous hour until this shit it over and done with?

Then I would be able to get back just in time for last period, the only useful class of the day. AP and Honors Art III/ Graphic Design.

I had signed up for the specific course this year, because even though it was already guaranteed, I wanted to be sure that I got into SCAD in Atlanta for my skills and not my father's money.

_Independence. _

The word sounded so sweet, even just in my head. I would have my own apartment, where I could control everything, not having my family breathing down my neck.

I could hardly wait.

Nothing was keeping me here in Forks, no ties, just my family, and I would be sure to write them…

But I could think about college later. That was exactly what I was trying to avoid by getting out of this shit hole auditorium and getting some nicotine into me.

My lips tingled at the thought. It had been way too long.

I wasn't an addict. I didn't go through a pack a day or anything, more like a pack a week, if that. And it had been nearly two weeks since my last.

I looked for exits, trying to find the best way to ditch. This claustrophobic atmosphere was giving me a headache, the frumpy teachers weren't too easy on the eyes, and the buzz of students talking all over top of one another was really beginning to drive me insane. I needed to get out of here.

However, as I was checking my escape routes, I saw her, standing out in the dusty, dim lighting.

She was like a breath of fresh air, and suddenly the atmosphere, the teachers, and the noise wasn't as annoying as it had been a millisecond ago.

I took her in.

She was petite, such a little thing, small and timid looking on a pair of crutches that looked to have seen better days.

She was scowling, her pretty face scrunched up at a gray pamphlet in her hands like it was the bane of her existence.

She was trying unsuccessfully to brush off the pushy ass recruiter for the army that I had had the displeasure of meeting a while ago.

He was talking hurriedly, and all but swarming her. I hadn't a clue as to why he thought that this pale, beautiful, fragile girl would be any help in the army.

Maybe to distract opponents? Possibly.

She was doing a very good job at the distracting thing with me anyway.

She was exotic looking, definitely her own kind of beauty.

The girl was balancing one of her crutches, a beaten up hobo bag by her feet. The recruiter said something particularly offensive or demanding, and she looked up at him incredulously, probably wondering about his sanity.

She was near 5'3, skinny and slender, with long mahogany hair in a braid down her back, and very little makeup on from what I could see at my distance.

Her clothes were unique, a pair of worn jeans with a bell sleeved navy blue shirt over a cream colored cardigan. The converse on her feet looked primed to fall apart at any minute.

She was a lovely change of pace from the bimbos who attached themselves to me and used their over exaggerated looks to float through life.

But her face, _Lord her face_, was the most…

Jesus Christ.

She had full lips, that I could definitely tell, and light brown eyes, high cheekbones and a sharp, feminine jaw line.

I decided, however rashly, that I could be of more assistance over there with her than I was standing and staring from my little fucking corner.

I made my way over to her and came up behind her, every step showing me a better, up close view of her. I tapped her on the shoulder, and she jumped, almost knocking herself off her crutches. I steadied her, grinning, and decided on the boyfriend routine to get her out of his clutches.

It beat dragging her out like a cave man with her over my shoulder, like I wanted.

I slipped an arm around her waist, and pulled her into my side.

She didn't run away, which was a good sign; she just merely looked shocked.

My skin tingled where it touched hers.

"Hey, honey. I was looking for you everywhere. Who were you talking to?" I said casually, kissing the top of her head. She smelled like vanilla and fucking strawberries.

"Oh," I pretended to just have noticed the man in front of us, who by now was scowling at being interrupted.

"Hello, how are you?" I asked politely.

"I'm-"

"Great!" _Like I give a fuck. _"Well, do you mind if I steal her away for a bit? We have a prior business arrangement to take care of." I grinned cheekily down at her.

This was going swimmingly.

"Isn't that right, babe?"

She smiled shyly at me, through her shock.

"Um. Y-yeah…Uh, I-"

The recruiter sighed, hating that he had lost another "sale", so to speak.

"Well, sure." He said unhappily.

I ignored him, already helping the girl away.

At a distance, once we had found a clearing in the crowd, she licked her dry lips, preparing to speak, but I cut her off.

"You're welcome." I grinned.

"I, um… thank you?" She questioned, cautiously.

"Not a problem, _honey_," I teased, mimicking my earlier choice endearment.

"How'd you know I wanted to be rescued?" She asked, ignoring me.

"Well, it was pretty obvious, what with the way he was swarming in on you, and you were just standing there scowling cowardly. It was painful to watch; I felt I had no other choice but to intervene." I was still grinning foolishly at her.

Why did I feel as if I could tease her and she wouldn't take offense to it like other girls did?

"But how did you know I wanted him to leave? Maybe I wanted to join the army.I was only looking at a pamphlet, how could you tell?"

I laughed.

"Looking? Glaring, that's a much better suited word. You were sporting the most evil frown; you needed my help. Admit it."

"My hero," She laughed, and rolled her eyes at me sarcastically.

"Don't sound so ungrateful! You needed my assistance terribly. You should be thanking me." We were both smiling now. She was even more adorable up close, with that button nose, and those caramel eyes.

"Yes, I wanted him to leave me alone. But, I was quite capable of handling him on my own." She smirked.

"Didn't look like it," I countered. "You looked pretty helpless to me."

"No!" She glared, pouting like a child. I'm sure she would have stomped her foot, had it not been in a cast.

"Yes!" I mocked. " Because you obviously can't lie."

"I can so lie! Why would you thing that I couldn't?" She furrowed her eyebrows, and bit on her bottom lip, and my breathing sped.

Christ.

"Well, you weren't very convincing back there…or really any assistance at all for that matter." I snickered. "Uh, um, I, uh, uhhmm-" I imitated her, smiling when she him my forearm, laughing.

"You just surprised me is all. What would you do if I came up to you and pretended to be your girlfriend, and then dragged you off?"

I answered her without a second thought, still smiling.

"I'd count my blessings."

She turned a lovely shade of pink, and smiled shyly up and me, embarrassed.

"Right," She said sarcastically." 'Cause I'm just such a catch."

"You are." I agreed lightly, not a hint of sarcasm in my voice, completely serious..

"Yeah, because someone like you could like someone like me," She snorted, still smiling as I felt my eyebrows furrow.

_What? What does that mean?_

_Someone like me?_

I stuck with the safe approach.

"I could if I knew your name."

I liked this chick. She could keep up with my banter, she didn't throw herself at me, and she actually had me interesting in the things she was saying!

_And_, she was just _so gorgeous_. And shy, and sweet, and when she blushed that _color_, I just…

"Bella Swan," She answered me, shy now.

I smiled because (A.) The name felt intimate, like we _hadn't_ just met five minutes ago; and (B.) The appropriateness of the name was not lost on me.

"I'm Edward Cullen." I told her, and it was then that I realized we had started walking subconsciously down the rows of booths, through the large, obnoxious crowd of students.

I suddenly felt as if my time with her was about to run out.

I had to keep her talking!

"So, I assume you're clumsy then?" I guessed.

She looked up at me, stunned. "W-what?"

"What? You _do_ have a cast on your leg. What happened?"

She smiled bashfully at the ground as we walked. When she didn't answer me, I grinned, delighted. "You _are_ clumsy, aren't you?"

"Hey! You could be clumsy too." She argued back, and then pointed down to my elbow.

"What about that, Mr. Hypocrite?"

I looked down at what she was pointing at. I had a fairly large size bruise on my elbow from racing BMX bikes with Emmett a few weeks back.

Bella laughed as I examined my own elbow, and the sound reminded me of wind chimes.

Her laugh was so pretty, so soft, it-

_Wind chimes? _

_Did I just compare her laugh to fucking __wind chimes__? _

_Someone, please slap me._

"I'm no hypocrite! I happen to have gotten this war wound in a very tragic battle."

"MmHmm." She flat lined, not believing me for a second. "What happened pretty boy, get into a fight with your hair gel?"

My eyes were filled with excitement, wild and swimming, I'm sure. This was amazing! Had I actually found this girl, this beautiful girl that didn't take offense to my teasing, and didn't need me to explain them to her, but could reciprocate and keep up as well? Or was I dreaming this?

I was grinning like a fool, and had not a hope in hell of keeping the excitement out of my voice. "BMX bikes are very dangerous Bella. I wouldn't advice you to get on one, without me as a guide, that is."

"Why would I get on a bike with you when you clearly can't drive one yourself?" She gestured to my arm again. "Seems kind of unfair, don't you think, you telling me not to ride a BMX bike, for my own safety, when you have gone and ridden into a wall with one yourself? Do you see now why you've received the title of hypocrite?"

I laughed loudly at that, wanting so badly to drape my arm over her shoulders and pull her into my side. "No, just trying to protect you, Bella. At least I wear my title proudly! I don't try to deny it like you and your "Clumsiest Human Alive" badge."

She giggled adorably. "I'd rather be clumsy than a hypocrite. When you're clumsy, at least people still like you."

"I assure you Bella, I am very likeable. In everyone's eyes."

I smiled as we made our way around the auditorium, heading nowhere in particular.

"I'm sure," She said, sarcastic again. "What, you decided to show me your true self? I feel so honored."

"As you should. Not everyone gets the pleasure of seeing my douche bag tendencies out front like this. I must like you a lot."

She laughed, and I relished in the sound, happy that I could make her laugh. "Oh, Edward," She said, and a chill went up my spine at the sound of my name on her lips. "I must like you a lot too to be putting up with all of your shit." She laughed.

Oh Goddamn, I'd found myself a curser too! Was there anything bad about this girl? Bad habits, anything?

"I think you're too intrigued to leave now. I've got you under my spell Bella, Get out while you can."

"I'm not afraid of a challenge. I can take you." She joked, her smile lighting up her flawless face.

"I'm sure you're not afraid, honey. But I'm more than sure that you don't have what it takes." I'm not even sure what we were talking about anymore; we were making no sense. Bella seemed to be thinking the same thing about how ridiculous we were acting, and we both cracked up together.

I barely knew this chick, and yet somehow I was having one of the most easy and natural conversations of my life. We were laughing and teasing like we had been friends for years, instead of having just met a little over fifteen minutes ago.

Bella and I continued talking and joking for so long that I lost track of time as we shuffled our way along the linoleum floor. We talked about everything and nothing.

Movies, music, and endless books.

She was so much fun, so amazing to look at and talk to.

It was so refreshing!

Actually having someone I could talk to about these things, someone who had an opinion on the subjects and wasn't afraid to argue her point across. She has an innocence about her that commanded my attention, and wouldn't let in stray. I felt like I could talk to her for hours upon hours about a shit load of anything.

This was what it is _supposed_ to be like, I told myself.

It's _supposed_ to be this easy-when you really click with someone.

I don't think I had ever felt this immediate connection with anyone at all.

I had always been so painfully socially awkward, and Bella seemed to be the one exception to this rule.

Suddenly, I felt a giant hand drop onto my shoulder, as Bella and I were getting into a round of twenty questions, and without even turning I knew who it was.

There was only one person with the strength to nearly knock me to the ground with one clap on the shoulder.

"Hi, Emmett." I sighed. _Why did he have to interrupt?_

"Edward! Man! You found another loner to bug?" He laughed boomingly, and three teachers turned to shush him. He paid them no mind.

"Oh wait, I know this one! Hi ya, Bells!" He grinned.

_Bells?_

_**Bells?! **_

He had a nickname for her?

My eyes bulged, horrified.

"Hi, Emmett," Bella blushed back.

_I want to be the only one to ever make her blush that beautiful shade of pink!_

I whined in my head.

Not fair.

And **Bells**?

My mind felt like one big giant broken record.

What was wrong with this picture?

Emmett, my best friend, had known this beautiful girl before I had, and hadn't introduced me to her before? He kept her a secret from me, and then proceeded to flaunt it right back in my face.

The fact that he had no idea he was doing any of this didn't really make a difference at the moment.

I couldn't be bothered to hide the angry tone of my voice and I asked her " You know Emmett, Bella?"

He and I were most definitely having a talk later.

Rule #1: Always, always, always introduce your buddy to every hot girl you know. Even if you don't think she is important, she may very well be his soul mate.

We should get that rule into writing.

"Um, y-yeah…" She answered, curious as to where my sudden pissed mood had originated.

Since Emmett apparently wasn't going to give me more of an explanation, too busy darting his eyes between Bella and I amusedly, Bella did.

"He's, um, kind of 'dating' my best friend, Rosalie Hale."

She put quotations around the word dating with her fingers.

_Ahh_.

That soothed a bit of the dread that had been setting in my stomach not long ago.

So that was whom Emmett hadn't stopped talking about all morning long. The magnificent Rosalie.

My face must have displayed some of my relief, because Emmett chuckled at my expense. I was about to give him an intense tongue-lashing when the bell sounded throughout the auditorium.

Bella sighed heavily, probably wishing that she hadn't wasted her entire time at the career fair with me, and reached down by her feet to pick up her purse.

"Well, erm, I've got to go, my class is all the way on the other side of the building, and my teacher clearly hates my guts, so I can't be late." She started to scurry away, then stopped and turned to Emmett. "You want me to tell Rose you said you'd call her?"

"You know it kid," He smiled at her brightly.

"Got it," She spun to face me. "I'll-I'll see you later, yeah?" She stuttered, suddenly shy, like she didn't want to assume too much.

As she edged for the door, I told her "Yeah, bye Bella. See you later."

She gave me one last smile, and then hobbled down the hallway on her crutches, stumbling. I sighed.

When _was_ later?

Emmett clapped him hand down on my shoulder again, letting out a thunderous laugh. "So, you and Bella, huh? Got a thing for my sexy little bookworm?" He grinned.

"How do you know her? How long have you known her?"

He laughed again. "She's Rosie's best friend, Eddie. Just moved here about… oh, two months ago. I see her all the time."

"Why is she never at any of the parties? I don't understand."

He sighed as we walked down the hallway to our study period in the library. "Bella is… well, Bella keeps to herself a lot. Quiet, shy, doesn't meet new people well. I'm sure you gathered that much from talking to her, right? Bet you had to drag a conversation out of her like everyone else, huh?" He laughed, like we were sharing some joke. In reality, I was terribly confused.

I blinked up at him.

Shy? Yeah, a bit.

Quiet? Well, once she opened up to me; which was pretty darn fast…

And doesn't meet new people well? Did I just imagine our connection while talking?

"What? Emmett, are we talking about the same Bella?"

"What?" He asked, confused, as we walked into the library and took our seats.

I lowered my voice.

"Emmett, she was nothing like that with me. She maybe was a bit shy at times, but she was laughing and teasing from the get go!"

"Really?" His eye brows furrowed. "That's not like her at all…but, then again, you both did look a bit too comfortable around each other before I came over…she's normally so antisocial." His eyes turned playful. "Just like you, actually."

"Like me?"

"Yeah, exactly. Doesn't like to party, loves to read, listens to awful music. Quiet, doesn't talk a lot unless you get to know her…and what's even more unusual is that she doesn't tend to hang around with many guys either. So it's weird that she hit it off with you . You seem to have broken through her shell fairly quickly…"

I pressed my lips together, worried.

Even Emmett, happy-go-lucky, unobservant Emmett, noticed that Bella and I got along too well?

How obvious were we being?

How _oblivious_ were we being, was the real question?

Oblivious to the crowd around us, the watchful, calculating, judging eyes of our peers.

Who knew just how quick the rumor mill would start up again?

I wasn't the most unpopular guy in school, but Bella…

I hadn't even heard her name before, not even when she moved in, fresh meat from out of town. Did I really want to drag Bella into the shark-infested waters with me?

They would eat someone like her up. They were just waiting to start another rumor about me. They thrived on petty gossip.

"Edward, I can see where you're going with this." Emmett interrupted my thoughts. " Yeah, you were both being pretty touchy-feely with each other. But I wouldn't worry too much. Even though Bella isn't used to this kind of thing, I know her. I have no doubt she can handle it."

"I hope so Em. I really hope so."

Because I could never forgive myself if Bella was dragged down because of me.

B.P.O.V.

"_Cullen?" _

"Yeah." I sighed.

"Well, you're totally screwed over."

"Thanks, Rose."

"I'm just trying to help Bella."

"Well, do you think that I don't know that I'm 'totally screwed over'? You're no help at all!"

Because even I, unpopular, dull, boring little Bella Swan knew how much trouble even talking to Edward Cullen would cause. He was one, if not the most popular guy in our small-ass school. No one could talk to him without sending rumors flying.

I knew who he was the minute he tapped me on the shoulder in the auditorium. Who wouldn't? But all I could do, besides star, was wonder why the hell_ he_ was talking to _me_?

Guys like him –gorgeous, funny, popular, and smart guys- didn't just randomly decide to start up conversations with dorky girls like me.

So at first I was reluctant to talk to him. It was, by any means, difficult to focus on conversation when I was half expecting a bunch of his friends to jump out and laugh at me for dreaming.

But, it never happened –and soon I was so wrapped up in him, hanging on his every word, that I wouldn't even care if they did.

Now it was after school. And Rose and I were walking to our cars discussing my exchange with Edward.

"Bella, I wouldn't worry too much. Yeah, he's undeniably popular, and we aren't. but-"

"Rose, don't you even talk to me about popularity. You're dating the captain of the football team, and you're head cheerleader. You're popular, whether you want to be or not, so just shut-"

"I am not dating Emmett! How many times do I have to tell you? "

_Denial_.

"All I'm saying is, you are popular. I'm not. Edward is too, and he talked to me during the career fair. People will talk. Oh, and Emmett told me to tell you he would call you."

"I never said that they wouldn't. I told you you're screwed- _what_? When did you talk to him? What did he say? Did he bring me up, or did you instigate it? What were his exact words?"

I was smirking.

"Don't like him, huh?" I said smugly.

She looked like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, but she reacted defensively.

"I- I don't know what you're talking about, Swan. I just want to be prepared."

"Right. I'm going to let you off the hook just this once, Rose. And only because this conversation is supposed to be about me." I grinned at her, and she breathed a sign of relief.

"Back to Bella, then. Look, don't worry too much. Emmett will kick anyone's ass who messes with you, and you know I've got your back."

"Yeah, I know. Maybe I'm just making a big deal out of nothing?" I asked hopefully.

"Maybe. But not likely." She told me, and I laughed, hugging her goodbye.

"Bye, Rose. See you later." I told her as she walked away, and then when she was far enough away form me, I shouted "Call me later and tell me all about your boyfriend!" mockingly. She gave me the middle finger without turning around, and I laughed quietly, hobbling on my crutches to my car.

You're better off forgetting the entire thing ever happened, I told myself. I mean, he probably has.

_Did you seriously think you made an impression on him? _

Stupid girl.

_Bet her doesn't even remember your name. _

I stuck my key in the ignition and my old car sputtered to life as I backed out of the parking space. There were not many cars still in the lot- Rose and I had stayed after, her for cheer practice and I for a make-up quiz.

He was just passing the time until his friend came along and saved him. Nothing better to do than to talk to me. Don't you dare get caught up in him, Bella Swan. He's just some silly, stupid boy… with amazing hair, and a brilliant smile, and a funny, charming personality, and likes the same music you do, and has the perfection of a Greek God-

My car made a loud screeching sound that knocked me out of my thoughts, and then sputtered…right before it shut down.

_Oh fuck, not now! _

I pulled the keys out of the ignition and then jammed them back in, but nothing happened, not even a bit of revving.

At least I had time to semi-park in a spot, narrowly avoiding colliding with a lamp post.

" Fucking shit, God dammit!"

I tried again.

Again.

And again.

And gave up.

" Shit!" I cursed, hitting the dashboard hard. I had to go get my cast off in 20 minutes! Charlie wouldn't be home for several more hours, and Rose had already left and didn't have her phone with her.

"Shit…" I groaned again, slamming my head into the steering wheel.

My luck.

My fucking luck!

I groaned once more, hitting my forehead for good measure.

"Careful now, honey. Don't hurt your pretty little head."

A smooth voice interrupted my freak-out, and I whipped my head around to my open window, shocked.

There, leaning against my doorframe and grinning from ear to ear, was Edward Cullen.

"I… What? I…" Flustered, I stuttered out nonsense, confused and embarrassed.

"Could hear you cursing half a mile across the lot, Bella!" He laughed.

_Wasn't he supposed to have forgotten who I was?_

"What's the problem, sweet cheeks?"

Forgetting to be nervous around him, I blurted out, happy for someone to rant to.

"My God dammed car just broke down, and I've got to be at the doctor's in 20 minutes to get this fucking cast off, and Charlie won't be home for another two hours, and Rose is gone, and just- just…Shit!" I huffed the last word, turning my head away from him and slamming my head into the steering wheel again.

Or, at least I tried to. As I was closing my eyes and dropping my head, instead of hitting into the hard plastic, my head fell onto something soft, smooth, and I opened my eyes.

I groaned, rolling my head around when I realized it was Edward's hand. But I didn't lift my head up. I couldn't, not when his skin felt like that against own, even if it was only my forehead.

I felt his other hand, the one I didn't have trapped in-between my face and the steering wheel, shift up and my eyes closed with a sigh.

Why do I always make a fool of myself in front of the sweet and beautiful ones? Why must the always catch me looking like a loser? Can't they let us ugly people suffer alone?

And then I felt it, Edward's finger tips trailing along my jaw line, down to my chin. They left a trail of fire where it had touched me. My lips parted, wanting his fingers on them, but he made his way to my chin, lifting my face to look him in the eyes.

He was suppressing laughter, and not very well at that.

Edward's eyes were lit up, and a grin spread across his face.

_He_ was clearly unaffected by the touch of our skin.

_How unfair was that? _

Seeing my sour expression, and thinking it was because he was laughing at me, he really _did_ start laughing then.

I just watched him until he calmed down.

"Bella," He gasped out, still chuckling. "God, you're so fucking cute when you rant like that. You need to get worked up more often. Come on, why are we still standing here? You've got a doctor's appointment, right? Then, let's go!"

He opened my door, reaching through the window for the lock, and then started to unbuckle my seat belt for me.

I was in a daze.

_Did Edward Cullen just fucking call me cute? _

I was being pulled across the parking lot before I could even get my brain to comprehend, and it was only when we reached Edward's car did I finally snap out of it.

_Did Edward Cullen just fucking offer me a ride? _

Unfortunately, I said the first thing that came to mind.

" I-I can't- I mean, don't you…don't you have other plans, Edward?"

How could _Edward Cullen_ not have plans after school?

But he just laughed, like I was missing something. "Bella, no plans that I could have could be more important than you."

Well, fuck.

Does he have to do that sweet talking shit and make me fall even harder for him?

Again, not fair.

I think he likes doing it. It's a pastime/hobby for him. He must love making ugly, pitiful girls fall for him, and then break their little hearts.

Now, that's mean Bella. You know that's not true.

Yeah, I know. The truth is that he is just too charming for his own good, and he has no idea what kind of power he holds over us girls.

"Edward, seriously, do not feel obligated to take me. I hate asking you to do that, and-"

"You're not asking me," He said, as he pushed me in the door, and buckled my seat belt for me. "I offered. And I swear I don't mind, Bella. Come on, what is it? Is it just that you don't want to spend time with me?" He was using a teasing tone, but there was something behind his eyes that I couldn't identify.

As if. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to spend time with the perfect Edward Cullen?

God, I was being bitter today.

"No, it's not that, I-I just don't think it's- Shit!" I yelled.

Edward was peeling out of the parking lot as 80 miles per hour, and nearly sideswiped two telephone poles before we were even on the road.

"Holy fuck, Edward, slow down!"

He looked over at me and grinned, and I told him hysterically to keep his eyes on the road.

"Calm down, Bella. You said we were in a hurry, and I've never gotten a ticket."

"I don't care if we are in a hurry. I'd rather make it there alive and late than not at all. You're going to wrap the car around a tree!" I gripped the armrests tighter.

He sighed, rolled his eyes, and the needle dropped down to 73.

"Better?"

"Barely!"

"I thought you weren't afraid of me." He teased.

"Not _you_. Your driving, now that's another story." I glared at him.

Stupid shiny Volvo owner.

"Well, you better start trusting me now, because I've got a proposition for you, and it involves you getting in a car with me more than once."

"Count me out," I grumbled, thought my heart was racing. Did he want to do something with me?

He just laughed.

"Let me hear it, then," I told him grudgingly, after it seemed apparent that he wasn't going to tell me until I asked.

"Alright, here it is," He said, seemingly almost nervous.

Of what, I hadn't the slightest.

"Will you come with me to the party at Emmett's house tonight? Please?" He seemed to be holding his breath.

_Come_ to the party with you, or come and _stay_ at the party with you?

I mean, surely he would forget about me in 10 seconds once Tanya or some other blond slithered up to him, and leave me looking like a fool by myself.

" Um, Edward, I…"

"Oh, please come Bella. Please?"

Edward Cullen was begging me.

"I-I hate crowds, and I've never drank a drop in my life. I wouldn't fit in there. That's why I never come when Emmett or Rose ask me…"

"I know, I know. I don't enjoy them either, but my sister Alice forces me to go. I'd have so much more fun with you there. And I swear, I won't let a drop of alcohol touch those pretty little lips." He grinned, still seeming anxious.

How about my pretty little lips touching _your_ pretty little lips?

"I don't know Edward…"

"Please, Bella? I swear, I won't leave you alone for one second. And plus, I need someone to save me from Tanya's evil clutches."

"Tanya? But I thought-I mean, isn't she your girlfriend?"

Smooth, Bella.

"According to her." He snorted. "I can't stand her, really."

"Well, Edward, I…I've never…"

"Here, I'll help you out with your decision. I'll map out the rest of your day for you. We go get your cast off now, and then I'll drive you home, and you can do whatever it is that you do, get ready and all that jazz. Rosalie can come too; Emmett will like that. I'll pick you both up around ten tonight, and then you can have the privilege of hanging out with me all night long. I'll take you home whenever you feel like it- just not _too_ early, you know. Then you can go to sleep, and dream sweet dreams of me all night long. How's that sound?" He finished finally, excited now, of his plan that he had just worked out.

I had to admit: I liked it. It did allow for me to spend a good amount of time with him.

I must not have answered fast enough for him, because he said my name again nervously.

I sighed. I couldn't miss this opportunity, no matter how much I hated large groups of people.

"You **swear** you won't leave my side all night long?"

He grinned _so big_ as he pulled into my doctor's office parking lot.

"I wouldn't even dream of it, Bella."

Edward's P.O.V.

Edward Cullen, you've met your match. You may as well give up now and stop looking. There is no better sight in the world than this. Gauge out your eyes so that this will be the last sight you ever see.

I blinked, trying to imprint the image on my mind.

Bella Swan

+ Hair loosely up

+ Slinky red backless shirt

+ String of old fashioned pearls

+ Tight fitted dark wash jeans

+ Open-toed flats

=Instant Edward boner.

Dammit.

I stood stock still in Bella Swan's foyer, jaw dropped and eyes wide, staring at the sight before me.

And sporting a massive erection, I might add.

I really hoped she didn't notice. But I just couldn't really be bothered to adjust myself right now.

And Bella's cheeks turned rosy, and she looked at her feet, and bit her lip, and entwined her fingers, and I _twitched_.

I hadn't spoken since I had been let in the door, and I didn't move until Rosalie, I assume, came gracefully down the stairs and sashayed past me, pushing my jaw closed with one finger.

"Have some dignity, man." She laughed, and I shook my head, dazzed, as I watched her run in 5-inch heels to my Volvo, climbing in the back seat and waiting.

She honked the horn and Bella and I both jumped.

I finally, and inconspicuously, adjusted myself and cleared my throat.

I tried to grin through my awe at the sexy woman in front of me.

"Ready, Bella?"

+1 of not stuttering.

-1 for lack of vocabulary.

"Yeah, I am." She leaned over and grabbed a key and shoved them in her pocket.

"Alright, Let's go."

_Was that key all the she needed? _

"You're so low maintenance, Bella," I grinned, leading her out of the door and watching her lock it. "I like that."

She smiled sideways at me, but said nothing. She seemed nervous.

"Don't be anxious Bella. These things are so un-exciting that you'll be wishing you didn't agree to come." I smiled as we climbed into the car and pealed out of the driveway.

"Well, how were you at your first party?" She asked defensively.

I laughed. "Well, considering it was at Emmett's house, which is like my second home, it was fine. Really, Bella, don't worry. There's nothing to be nervous about." I patted her knee and grinned when she touched my hand for a moment and then removed her hand quickly away, biting her lip.

"And, Alice is all excited about meeting you both," I told them, remembering that Rosalie was in the car.

Of course I didn't tell them the _reason_ that she was excited to meet Bella the-first-girl-to-ever-catch-her-brother's-eye Swan.

She had nearly had a heart attack when I had told her, grudgingly, about Bella. She dragged it out of me, and once I got started talking about her, I couldn't stop. Alice could tell from my tone and apparently my 'love-ramblings' about Bella that I was 'smitten'.

Alice insisted that I bring her out tonight, and when I told her that I had already invited her, she congratulated me on a job well done, and said that 'she just _knew_ they were going to be great friends'.

Stupid little over-excitable pixie sister.

"I'm excited to meet her too, Edward," Bella said. "I don't have many girl friends, besides Rose here."

"That's true," Snorted Rose.

"We all chatted for the remainder of our short ride, thought I could sense Bella's nervousness rolling off her in waves.

Rosalie jumped out of the car the moment we arrived, giving Bella a quick kiss on the cheek and the running smoothly across the yard and into the house past the lingering party guests on the deck. Bella took a deep breath and started to open her door, but I reached it first and grinned at her and took her hand in mine to help her out of the car.

She smiled shyly at me, and my boner flared again, seeing her face flush and touching her lower, fabric-less back to lead her inside.

She was so amazingly sexy, and she seemed to be completely oblivious to that fact.

As we walked across the grass, I noticed something else.

They stared.

Everyone stared.

Blatantly, obviously, and curiously stared, as if they couldn't be bothered to conceal their eavesdropping, as if they had a right to know the personal affairs in my life, every single aspect.

Whispering behind hands, some with jaws dropped, they all gossiped about Bella and I.

It was silly of me to think that they wouldn't notice the first time that I brought a girl to a party. It didn't bother me in the slightest, the petty teenage gossip circulating about me.

But Bella seemed more nervous than when we were in the car.

The curious eyes bothered her.

I leaned down, my hand still on her lower back, and whispered in her ear "Don't mind them, Bella. Petty gossip. You learn to deal with it. I mean, think of it this way: Being talked about and getting to spend time with me, or not being talked about, but never seeing me. I think the choice is very obvious, my dear." I teased, though the thought of never seeing her again was painful.

She giggled at me, walking closer to my side, and I felt better. Maybe the gossip didn't bother her _that_ much.

"Of course I choose you, Edward," She smiled.

"Deep breath, Bella," I told her, once we had reached the door.

We squeezed in past a tipsy, gawking Jessica Stanley and left the door open behind us.

Bella gulped, the scene inside seeming to intimidate her.

I rubbed soothing circles on her bare back, her skin feeling so good on my own. She smiled shakily up at me, and I grinned back encouragingly at her. We had barely made it inside when, above everything else, we heard Emmett's booming voice.

"Eddie! Bells! You made it!" He hurried over to us, and impossibly large grin on his face, and pulled Bella away from me and into a hug. I had to remind myself that Emmett was my friends and meant no harm before the growl could escape my throat.

I tried to distract myself. "It's _Edward_, Emmett." I told him icily, some ofmy irritation carrying over into my voice.

"Sure, sure," He laughed and then pulled me into a one-armed man-hug as well and ruffled my hair.

When I growled at him, and tried to fix the mess on top of my head, Bella giggled.

"Let me help," She said amused, and then reached up and ran her small hands through my hair, her nails scraping my scalp and she was so close that I could feel her breath on my parted lips.

I nearly moaned at the pleasure that this small action caused in me, and I felt my dick throb against my zipper.

Jesus Fucking Christ.

Bella was still smiling, happily oblivious, when I opened my eyes, and she met my gaze.

Her smile faded a bit at the look in my eyes. I could only imagine what they must be showing.

Was my lust evident? Adoration?

My hunger for her, or my need and want for her to touch me, anywhere, again?

I was probably scaring her.

I took a deep breath, which only succeeded in making my dick twitch _again_ at her smell, and cleared my throat, blinking a few times.

Bella had not stepped back.

I looked around, ignoring our several fans that were staring in shock in awe and astonishment, to see Emmett walking away with a shit-eating grin on his face.

He called to me, over his shoulder.

"Alice is looking for you and your little girlfriend there!" He laughed all the way down the hall.

I could kill him!

Wasn't it bad enough with just speculation? Now everyone would think we _were_ dating.

But then I turned to Bella, and the rumors all were made worth it to see the red tint of her cheeks and the way her teeth sunk into her lower lip.

_Fuuuuuck. _

I lifted her chin with my finger and smiled as best as I could through my arousal.

"C'mon, let's head into the kitchen and get a drink." I told her, and then before she could protest, " A soft drink. You know, like soda? I told you that not a drop of alcohol would touch those pretty lips tonight, and I keep my promises." I lightly touched my finger tip to her lower lip, free of sticky smelly gloss or lipstick.

Just the way I liked it.

She smiled shyly; still embarrassed by Emmett's comment I could tell.

I'd get him back alter. I wouldn't forget.

I took her hand and led her into the kitchen, squeezing past the sweaty and horny teenage bodies, and, with her hand still firmly in my grasp, I dug around in the fridge that the party goers were not allowed to touch. I pulled out two cans of coke, popping the lid and handing her one.

I handed it to her as I lifted her up to sit on the counter and then put my arms on either side of her, leaning in just wanting to be closer.

She grinned at me.

"Here you are, my dear. Just for you."

Jesus, could I get any cheesier?

But Bella rolled her eyes, and smiled. "Why thank you, kind sir - Oh!" She cut herself off. " I have something for you."

Astonished, I squeaked, "Something for me?"

"Yep, I just so happened to have this lying around and I thought, well, you might…like it…so, I –"

I cut her off with a gasp.

"Bella! Is- is that…" I choked out.

She smiled shyly, and looked down.

"Yes, it's their newest CD we were talking about earlier –"

"But, _before_ the release date? _A month_ before the release date? Bella, how…I…"

"I've got a friend of my dad's who knows the bands manager. It was easy ;I've had it for a while now. I, I just thought you might enjoy it"

I cut her off as I grabbed her around the waist, and hugged her to me, twirling her in the air, around in circles.

"Edward!" Bella cried, laughing.

"Is there nothing you can't do, Bella Swan? You're pure amazingness bottled up all in a pretty package." I laughed, still twirling her.

We were both smiling now, and laughing giddily.

"Well, you're welcome, Edward." She sighed, resting her head on my shoulder lightly as we spun, slowing down to a stop.

I just sighed happily as I held her.

And then my happy mood, or most of it anyway, deteriorated when I let her down and we heard a throat clear.

We looked up and I nearly groaned.

_Alice_.

Alice with a huge, calculating, elated smile on her face, stretching so wide that it looked a bit scary.

Alice, please don't, please don't scare Bella away.

"Bella!" She squealed, and Bella jumped a bit in surprise beside me.

"Bella!" She said again, happily, " _So_ incredibly nice to meet you! You have absolutely no _idea_ how nice it is to meet you. I'm Alice, Edward's sister." She attacked Bella in a chokehold hug, nearly smothering her.

"Alice," I growled in warning.

"Oops, sorry Bella." She said sheepishly, letting her go, but keeping an arm around her waist and turning her creepy-ass smile on Bella.

"I-it's nice to meet you too, Alice. I'm Bella. But, you already know that…"

She looked to me for help, obviously wondering why Alice wanted to meet her so badly.

I gulped, mentally begging Alice to for once in her life keep her fucking mouth shut.

She didn't hear my pleadings, apparently.

She giggled, and pulled Bella into her side like they were old friends.

Then she proceeded to spill her guts.

"Yeah, I know, Edward hasn't shut up about you since he got home! _'Bella this, Bella that,' _ I thought I'd have to get him a muzzle. I mean, I did have to drag it out of him, but once I got him started, he couldn't shut up! I finally had to tell him I had to get ready and to shove a sock in it! _Poor, poor smitte_ –"

Alice said this all in one breath, so I barely had time to stop her but I did manage to just shove her hard enough to get her mouth closed.

Was she _really_ just about to call he a smitten fool in front of the girl who had me that way?

Had she lost her mind?

I'd add her name to my list.

So far, only Emmett and Alice were lucky enough to be graced with the joy of being in line for a payback.

I growled as Alice kissed a stunned Bella on the cheek and then told her she 'couldn't wait to _talk_ to her later."

Like I'd let that happen after that little speech of her's. Jasper was so hearing about Alice's little crush on him.

Alice danced out of the room, leaving me to deal with the problem she had left in her wake.

_Damage control, A.S.A.P. Cullen!_

"I-uh, Alice has a bit of an imagination, doesn't she?" I laughed nervously. "Always exaggerating, and what not." Was that the best you could do Cullen?

Bella laced her slender arm through mine and was smiling up at me. The action felt familiar, like I was born to be her arm candy.

And anything else she'd allow me to be.

"If I had a sibling, I'd talk their ear off about you too, Edward." She looked down shyly grinning.

I bit my lip, and teasingly said " Are you just placating me, Bella Swan?" like I was suspicious.

She laughed. " I'm sure I'm not. But I just didn't have anyone to listen to _me_ ramble." She told me, implying that I was lucky because I did. "After all, I'm almost _positive_ that Charlie wouldn't have liked hearing about a guy I just met."

We both laughed at the thought.

"Oh, come on. You don't think that he would be happy for you ? " I teased, and then, because I'm a moron who can't keep his mouth shut, I added, "What did he do when you told him about your other boyfriends?" And then hastily, "Not that we're dating, or anything."

Oh God, Edward, you've ruined it all. Look! She's blushing, and she looking down, and you've probably offended her by even mentioning "Edward" and "boyfriend" in the same sentence…

She mumbled something under her breath.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

"I… I said I… I mean, that is to say, I've… never, erm…had o-one before… so I guess I wouldn't know." She stuttered, quiet enough that I would have missed half of it, had I not been staring at those beautifully carved lips from Heaven…

Wait…

_The _FUCK_ did she just say? _

"Liar," I called her out, not believing that this girl hadn't had a flock of boys surrounding her at all times.

She looked up, startled, and then a look of defiance crossed her features. "I'm not lying, Edward."

"You mean to tell me that you, Bella Swan, have never had a boyfriends, any male suitors, or anything remotely close to that, ever? I don't believe that one bit."

"Well, it's true." She said frostily.

"Mmhmm. Sure."

"Really!" She actually stomped her foot.

"You're lying to me! No one has ever even tried to get your attention before?"

_Before me_, I revised in my head.

She huffed. "Edward, I'm telling you the truth! I mean, I-I guess a few guys liked me, at times, but-"

"See! I knew-"

"No! Tyler Crowley in 10th grade doesn't count. It was only _two dates_, surely that doesn't-"

"Tyler Crowley." I repeated blankly.

What the fuck kind of name is Tyler Crowley?

I had gotten what I wanted of course, I had all but forced her to tell me. But now that I knew, I wished I didn't.

I now knew that there were others before me that wanted her, that pursued her… kissed her …

I growled. Tyler Crowley was on the list with Emmett and Alice.

"What!" She fumed, defensively.

Good, she hadn't caught on to my jealousy.

"Nothing, Bella. That was all? Tyler Crowley? Wait-who was your first kiss?"

I asked, knowing that knowing would be painful, but that not asking would kill me.

She bit her lip, and I wasn't too into the argument to not get turned on by it.

"No one."

"Bella," I deadpanned.

She sighed. "Drew Evans." I took a deep breath, and bit back the hatred I felt for this unknown man who had obtained her attention before me.

"Drew Evans. What grade was this in?" I asked impatiently.

"Jesus, Edward. What are you, my dad?" Then she sighed. "8th."

I was about to respond to the dad comment, when she interrupted me.

"And you? What about you? You can't get all this information out of me, without telling me about yours too!"

"Maggie Boland. That was my first kiss." I sighed, not wanting to admit that there were others before her. I felt totally ashamed.

She laughed, and I gave her a curious look.

"Nothing. I just used to have a dog named Maggie." She giggled again, and this time I chuckled with her, stepping closer to her subconsciously.

"Maggie _was_ a bit of a slobbery kisser." I joked lamely, and she smiled up at me.

The mood lightened instantly, and I was no longer so very jealous and wanting to kill guys that I hadn't even met.

I still wanted them dead, don't get me wrong… but it could wait.

Besides…_I_ was the one with her now.

"Bella, would you do me a favor?" I asked her.

"What is it?" She asked suspiciously, still smiling.

"Will you dance with me?"

Her smile faded.

"No. I can't dance."

"Bella. Please?"

"No."

I looked down. My ego had taken enough hits today.

I heard her sigh, and suddenly her breath was on me because she was standing so close.

I licked my lips.

"Look, you value your feet, don't you?" She bit her lips, and I gulped down my lust.

Actually Bella, I'd probably give both of my feet right now if you'd just touch me for a spilt second, anywhere you'd like.

"I don't care," I told her honestly.

"You'll care when your limping home tonight." She tried to joke, but I could see the real worry.

"No I won't. I want to dance with you. Please, Bella?" I could see her resolve weakening.

She looked at me, and then back down to the floor.

"My shoes have steel toes." I tried again.

She smiled at me a bit, the bigger, and giggled. "You're ridiculous. You really want to dance with me that bad?"

"Of course I do." I want nothing more.

She said nothing for a while. But I had no other way of convincing her, so I just looked into her eyes. She swallowed hard, and then after a moment, nodded and took my hand.

I sighed, the happiest I had felt in a while.

As we walked, hand in hand, out of the kitchen and into the cleared out living room, we were the center of attention. But, for some reason, Bella and I didn't seem to care as we grinned at each other and squeezed onto the makeshift dance floor. For me, all that seemed to matter was the feel of her skin on my own as she threaded her fingers shyly into the hair at the nape of my neck.

I wound my arms around her waist, resting my palms dangerously close to her ass, but not caring enough to move them.

I felt my lips turn up together into a joyous smile.

Slowly, but surely, we began to move to the thumping beat, and the atmosphere began to shift the closer we got. She was so close now that had she looked up, her forehead would have hit my chin.

She rested her cheek on my shoulder, facing my neck.

Daringly, I let my hand slid down a fraction of an inch lower, and not breathing, lest she push me away for my forwardness, gripped her tighter.

I felt her let out a gust of air onto my neck that made me shiver, and I really would need to back up in a minute, because she would surely feel the effect she was having on my body. But yet, I still couldn't force myself to move away.

I took a much-needed breath and buried my face into her hair.

_Ohhh_…

I almost moaned out loud, and I felt my eyes slip closed involuntarily.

The beat continued, pounding out loudly with some obscene words that I couldn't focus on.

Bella pressed a kiss into my jugular, and I sucked in a ragged breath, letting it out in a hiss as I rubbed up and down her fabric-less back, the friction flowing straight through me once again.

Unconsciously, and inappropriately, I felt my hips lift up into her own and move against her.

I just couldn't help it!

I'd had a terrible case of blue balls all night, and my dick was so swollen that it was about to burst. It fucking hurt!

I had to have some sort of friction before I literally died.

But then, I felt terrible when Bella gasped loudly, and she trembled in my arms.

She had obviously felt my arousal.

Of course she did, dipstick! You just fucking ground yourself into her thigh without any consent from her at all.

I tried to take a step back, feeling guilty and ashamed, but the moment she felt me shift away even an inch out of our death hold, she…

FUUUCK…

Bella, all at once, had kissed my neck and fucking _grabbed my ass_ to keep me close to her, and pulled me even closer, squeezing my ass cheeks.

Fuck, fuck.

My eyes slid closed, and my face buried even further into her hair as I reached for the twist at the top of her bun and let her hair fall all the way down.

I ran my hands through it, and felt more than heard Bella let out a sigh and ground our pelvises together, connecting as we rocked back and forth.

I chomped on my tongue, trying to get the groan in my throat to stay there.

She was so beautiful.

And hot, and sexy, and gorgeous, with a wonderful mind and a spit-fire tongue, and I felt like I was lost in her eyes every single time I looked at her.

Taking her home that night was the single most hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life.

B.P.O.V.

It wasn't until right after lunch that I realized how ridiculous I was being.

It was that Monday after the party, that wonderful and disastrous and life-changing party, and I had decided to leave early.

I wasn't feeling very hungry, and that might have had to do with the fact that Edward hadn't shown up today.

Or called me all weekend.

Or even talked to me as he was dropping me off at my house that night, 3 days ago.

Had I been too forward? **He** had been the one to start the little grinding action we had had on the dance floor, after all.

The ride home that night had been silent, and I wasn't sure what I had done wrong. I mean, I had tried not to be clingy and to not make assumptions when he dropped me off at my house, _alone_, because Rose had gotten a ride home with Emmett. _Glad it all worked out so well for her,_ I thought bitterly.

I hadn't asked him what that little moment on the dance floor had meant to him, or what it made us.

Because I knew that to him, it had made us nothing more than we had been; possibly even less. Less because he didn't even see it as necessary to talk to me afterwards on the ride home.

Apparently, I was just a way to pass the time.

I thought I would get on with my life, and ignore what had happened, to forget I had even met him. I was trying my hardest not to notice everyone today, and I had, mostly, been succeeding. But at lunchtime, I left the cafeteria early, and headed to the restroom.

Rose wasn't here today, and no one had said a word to me today, about the party or otherwise. Even the teachers seemed to have been noticing my existence less.

I washed my hands when I was in the restroom, needing something to occupy my time.

It was very hard not to think of Edward. I wondered what he was doing now…

No, Bella, stop. He doesn't want you, remember?

I was so busy scalding myself that I didn't even hear the door open, and suddenly I was cornered by Tanya. Jessica, Lauren, and Jane were surrounding me as well, so I had no way to escape.

I could tell, the moment that I saw their faces, that they were out for blood.

I tried to move to the left, but they moved with me, trying to be intimidating.

This was like something out of a bad teen movie.

That thought made me snort, and I decided that I would play the confident roll.

"Really, guys? You're going to stoop so low as to corner me in the bathroom, where I can't defend myself? Where no one can see? How cowardly." I laughed, realizing that my voice was far more relaxed than I actually felt.

Tanya sneered at me. "Actually, _Bella_," She said my name, disgusted, "We just wanted to issue you a little…_warning_."

"By all means." I raised and eyebrow, motioning for her to continue, though I wanted nothing more to get the hell away from them. I wasn't good with confrontations.

"Stay. Away. From. Edward." She growled. "He doesn't want you; He wants me. He's just pitying you."

Having my thoughts voiced like that made my insides ache. I wished I had never met him, though I didn't blame him. I should have known not to expect anything more than what I got. That didn't mean that It didn't still hurt, however.

I tried to stay strong. "Tanya, I believe that it is Edward's decision whether or not he wants you or I. However, I seriously doubt it's the former. Would a guy who loved _you_ be humping another girl, namely me, at a party that he knew you were at?"

Her nostrils flared. "He's pitying you. He was trying to make me jealous."

That had also been one of the things I had considered when pondering why he had danced with me and then basically ditched me. I wondered if he had been using me.

I would give her a taste of her own medicine though. "That sure wasn't _pity_ I felt against my thigh on the dance floor, Tanya."

"You bitch." She said in a low voice. "Edward could never want you. You're just a pass time for him, another distraction. Why would he want _you_, when he can have _me_? _I_ can show him a good time."

"I'm sure you can, Tanya." I said in a bored voice, though I was dieing to run from the bathroom and I felt my eyes prickling with angry tears that I would rather die than let fall in front of her.

I cursed Edward in my mind once more.

"I'm warning you, Bella Swan. He's mine. Stay the fuck away from him. He told me himself that you were just like a little puppy, following him everywhere, never leaving him alone. It's pathetic really, Bella."

I had been thinking the same thing, but hearing her confirm it, and so callously… it was painful.

But no, she had to be lying. Even though I had known Edward for less than 3 days, I knew him well enough to know that I felt deeply for him. And that he would never be so… heartless.

…would he?

"Edward…said that? " I felt my tears gather, against my will.

"Yes. Said he felt sorry for you, you had no other friends besides Hale. He doesn't want you Bella. Face it: he never could."

I felt my jaw twitch as I clenched my teeth. My heart was twisting painfully in my chest, even though I hadn't given myself permission to care this deeply for a boy who didn't care for me back.

Afraid that if I spoke then tears would tip over, I just nodded once, curtly.

I hated that I had given into her, given her what she wanted, but there was no other way around it:

Edward Cullen simply did not want me.

I pushed past them all and out of the door.

They let me go.

E.P.O.V.

"Oooh…"

Why was I groaning?

Shit…damn that felt good. Who was that? I inhaled.

Strawberries and crème and cinnamon and vanilla. Bella. "Fuck…ooh…"

She bit me, hard, and then sucked the spot. She was lying on top of me, holding my arms down.

I broke free, once I located my arms through all the wonderful sensations, and gripped her ass. "Naughty boy, Edward…" She told me.

Her voice was sex.

I jerked my hips upwards, not able to wait a moment longer. "I- I can't last…Bella…"

"Look at me Edward. Look at me as you come for me…" She commanded, and I opened my eyes, and- WHAT?

I groaned. Not in pleasure this time, either.

My room?

Damn. Damnshitfuck.

I flipped over unwillingly onto my stomach, careful of my painful hard-on, and looked at the clock, expecting to see eight o'clock at the latest, which would give me just enough time to shower quickly, and get to school by 8:45.

But it was 12:03.

!

Why did no one wake me? Oh right, mom and dad's business trip. Alice had probably spent the night with Jasper because of the previously stated trip.

How could I put Bella through all of the inevitable gossip alone?

After an unavoidable shower, as a result of my Bella-neck licking dream, I didn't even bother grabbing my book bag, only my car keys and jumped in my car.

What must Bella be thinking?

Let's recap.

I fucking grinded all over her on the dance floor in front of every one we knew.

I was too much of a chicken shit to talk about it on the ride home, or call her all weekend long, afraid of her reaction, and;

I didn't show up the next day for school, where I was sure I was needed.

I pushed the gas a bit more, up to 85.

Bella,Bella,Bella.

She was all that was on my mind, getting to school and explaining to her.

If she will even fucking talk to you, Cullen.

Once at school, I tried to think clearly for a minute, before I accidentally ran into the lunchroom and proposed marriage to her like a lovesick fool in front of the entire cafeteria.

Okay.

So, it was 12: 23, just halfway through her lunch period. How do I get Bella out of there?

I can't explain to her in front of everyone!

Well, I guess I could… but no, then again, that would probably make things worse.

I need to get her to my empty house, a nice quiet place to talk.

To explain… to grovel…

How do I find her?

Well, she-

Oh. That was easy.

She was running to her car that had apparently now been fixed, and she had her back to me, but I could tell those beautiful chocolate locks anywhere.

She wasn't parked too far from me, and I jumped from my car, not bothering to close the door, making it to her just as she was reaching into her pocket for her keys.

She still didn't notice me behind her. How do I go about this?

Do I pull the humor card, and joke around?

Do I get down on my knees and grovel?

… Do I get down on **one** knee and ask for her hand in marriage?

But then, with her back still facing me, she let out a small, painful sob and all my planning flew away.

Instinct took over.

Taking her from behind, I dragged her body to mine, and spun her around so that I could see her face, and I wanted to sob at the look in her eyes, full of tears and so lost.

"Bella," I choked, and captured her in my arms.

Picking her up, I carried her the short distance to my car, and put her in the passenger seat, and nearly flew around the car to the driver's side.

"Bella, what's wrong? What- what happened?" I pulled her into my side closely, and started the car, hoping to warm her up and also wanting to take her away form here, from whatever had made her so sad, and take her with me to my house, so we could talk alone.

She didn't answer me, she only cried quietly, and rested her head on my chest.

"Bella, can I take us to my house? It's closer, and I need to talk to you." I asked her, biting my lip.

But she just nodded silently, eyes closed.

Having been given her consent, I flew down the road and made the short drive to my house, while holding her into my side the entire time.

"Bella, tell me what's wrong. Please," I pleaded with her.

A tear leaked out of her eye.

"Oh, E-Edward… I'm so-sorry, I-"

She cut herself off, and I used my arm that was welding her to me to pet her hair.

" Don't be sorry, Bella. I'm sorry. I can't believe I… I just can't believe it. Tell me what's wrong, please. Does it- is it…because of-of Friday night?"

She pressed her lips together, shaking silently, as I pulled into the driveway at my house. I immediately turned the car off, and pulled Bella through the driver's side door, and carried her into the house, where we could finally talk.

I peppered her forehead with kisses, whipping the tears from her cheeks with my palm. I knew, somewhere deep inside of me that this might be inappropriate, depending on how she felt about me, but at the moment, all I cared about was making her tears dry.

After her shaking had stopped, I kissed her forehead, and for longer this time, lingering slightly for only as long as I dared.

Then suddenly, she seemed to become aware of her position, and how she was sitting in my lap, and she hopped up before I could stop her, and began talking frantically.

"Oh-oh, God, Edward, I'm so sorry, I-I can't believe, please, please, just…can you take me home now? I'm so, so sorry for not stopping you from bringing me over here, I just…I-"

"No, I will not take you home." I stood up, and dragged her back to my lap on the comfortable couch. "I invited you over here, I wanted to take you here, and I won't take you home right now, Bella. You told me I could talk to you, I- I need to talk to you."

She started talking again. "I'm so sorry for making you think that you had to bring me over here, to take care of me, because you don't'- you don't owe me anything."

I felt horrified.

"Bella, I didn't bring you here because I thought I owed it to you, or because I felt guilty, or because I thought I had to. I-I wanted to Bella, I wanted you here, I wanted to take care of you. You don't understand, I'm so sorry for all of this, please, just tell me what happened…"

Bella let out a gust of air and told me that it didn't matter.

"Anything that made you upset matters Bella."

Laying it on think there, buddy?

Fuck off. I've upset her, and she deserves the truth.

"Please, Bella," I said when she didn't answer me. "Please, tell me what happened today, what made you so upset."

She sighed again, but didn't resist. "Tanya and her crew cornered me in the girl's room today, when I left lunch a bit early." My clenched shut, but she continued. "They- they said some things, and then I left, and you found me."

She tried to leave it at that.

"What did they say, Bella?" I asked tensely.

She pursed her lips tightly, but then she must have realized that she wasn't getting out of telling me, so she sighed and finished.

"She said to stay- stay away from you. That you wanted her, not me, and never could. She said that you told her what you were pitying me, and that I followed you around like a puppy, and you said I had no- no friends besides Rose- that… that you felt sorry for me."

My teeth were clenched so tight in response that I could feel my head starting to pound from the strained effort. My hands were balled, and my nostrils flared.

Tanya… you fucking…bitch.

"Edward, you're- you're hurting me,"

With a gasp, I released my painful hold on her bicep that I didn't even realize I was clutching. There was a small red mark where my thumb had dug into her skin, and hating myself, I stared down at her with torture in my eyes.

"It's okay, Edward, I'm fine. It's okay if you said that, don't fell bad, just-just, can I go home now?"

"Bella, no! I didn't say that! Any of it! Tanya, that- that…whore, I'll- I'll kill her!" I fumed, my rage boiling over.

"You, You didn't?" Bella asked skeptically, ignoring my comment about Tanya, and I stared straight at her, promising with my eyes.

"I swear, Bella, I would never, ever say anything against you in my life! Tanya's wrong, on every account." I hoped she was getting my message, that I could want her, unlike Tanya. That I did want her, wanted every part of her.

And fuck, was it really only **3 days** ago that I met her?

"Then…then why didn't you talk to me on the ride home, or call me, or come to school today, if you… if you c-care?" She asked quietly, and I realized that it was now or never.

"Bella," I stared, my heart in my throat. "Bella, it was never my intention to make you feel like you didn't matter, or to make you feel like I didn't care about you, b-because I did. I **do**. But, Bella, I-I'm a coward. I just didn't have the courage to tell you how I felt, and I was just so afraid of your r-re-rejection, that I acted like a complete jackass, and then made you think- made you be able to believe Tanya. I wanted you to have such a strong faith in me, so strong that you couldn't even consider the notion of even thinking of believing her for one minute. But instead, I acted like a coward, and I'm so, so, -v-very sorry, Bella, for giving you the room to doubt me."

She opened her mouth to cut in, but I was on a roll, and if I stopped now, I may never gain the courage again to tell her.

"Bella, I- I don't know how to say this without sounding completely cheesy and mental, but Bella, I'm so head over heels for you. I'm crazy about you. Everything about you, you're just so amazing, and I- I- Jesus, I don't know how else to say it, and I know I only met you 3 days ago, and we're only in high school and we're moving much to fast, but I, I've never felt like- like this. Like I could fly, just because you're with me, or wanted to kill every guy who even thinks of looking at you, because I want you all to m-myself, Bella. I've never wanted to beat Emmett up before just for looking at someone, but when he showed up next you, acting like he had known you forever, I was just so…so j-jealous." I sighed, taking a deep breath. " I can't- I'm not good at this Bella, but- fuck, I'll make you feel like a princess Bella, and I'll always, always be with you, and, just, please…will, -w-will you…b-be my girlfriend?" Damnit, my voice cracked on the last word, and the sound hung in the air.

Girlfriend, Girlfriend, Girlfriend.

The word bounced back and forth between the walls of my brain, and I held my breath. My heart was threatening to break free from behind my rib cage.

What would she say? Was it too soon?

Well, of course it was too soon, but maybe she felt the same way I had?

But she wasn't saying anything.

Nervously, I continued. "Please, Bella, I want you so bad, I want to be able to tell everyone you're mine, and to be able to have you all for myself. I'll- I'll be the perfect boyfriend, Bella, I swear. Please, Bella, can I –"

Suddenly, so suddenly that I almost couldn't understand how it happened, Bella was welded to me, body part for body part, and she caught my face between her own, as we fell back wards on the sofa so she was on top of me.

"Yes, Edward, **fuck** yes. I will most definitely be your girlfriend." She told me earnestly, and I was so elated that without even thinking I grabbed her face in my hands and connected our lips.

The moment was already so surreal, like I couldn't believe that it was happening, but when our lips touched, all my senses seemed to fade away and all I could focus on was Bella, her mouth, and the feel of her on top of me, and the way she clutched at my body.

In our own little world, I flipped Bella over, and her tongue made its way into my mouth and I completely lost my mind when it stroked my own, and she moaned, a sound that could put any musician's piece to shame.

"Oh, Bella," I felt my eyes roll when she thrust her hips softly up into my own.

Bella ran her fingernails up the back of my shirt, and I shivered in delight.

"Bella…oh, Bella, you're just… oohhfuck, perfect…" I moaned quietly, licking a straight line up and down her jaw.

She pushed my shirt up my back and ran her fingers over the shape of my shoulder blades.

"Bella, I –I've wanted to…do this since…I m-met you…" I panted, not able to stop confessing.

"M-me too Edward… **Oh** fuck rightthere!" She cut herself off when I met her pulse point on her neck, and I teased the fluttering vein with my tongue before attaching my lips to it and sucking.

I smiled at being able to make her feel this good, to make her make these sounds, the ones that were driving me crazy with lust.

After she managed to throw my shirt off while I was still connected to her neck, she started to take her own off, but I stopped her.

"Let me…please," I said, and she complied, letting me remove the fabric from her withering body.

I stared. God, did I ever stare.

She was gorgeous, the most gorgeous creature I had ever had the fortune of seeing.

Growling, I detached her bra and headed straight for her nipples and licked and licked.

"Oh, god, Bella, you're so delicious…" I informed her, and I nibbled on her right areola while I rubbed the other.

Bella arched off the bed, moaning happily.

"Bed," She commanded breathlessly. "Take- ohshit –take me to your bed, Edward,"

I did as I was told, thinking that that suggestion was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.

Afterwards, Bella and I lay like jelly on my bed, as she lazily ran a hand through my sweaty hair and I rubbed small circles on her lower back as I held her as tightly as I could possibly manage to my side.

This was Heaven, I was sure.

"Bella," I breathed, and she smiled softly in response. "Baby,"

"Yes, Edward," She replied, looking up at me from my chest.

I brushed her hair from her face. "You're- you're beautiful. I- I couldn't, I mean, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Leaning up and kissing my lips lightly, she mumbled and agreement into my chest as I curled my arm tighter around her.

She was so perfect, so beautiful, and amazing, and caring and sweet, and mine.

Only mine.

I thought my heart was melting in my chest from happiness.

Knowing, without a doubt, that she would be in my arms when I awoke, I let my eyes slip shut and fell into a soft peaceful sleep that only Bella's lips on mine could wake me from.

Life was amazing, with my Bella by my side.

A/N: Thanks for reading guys, I really hoped you enjoyed it! Review if you liked it! (or, you know, if you didn't)


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